Orange 10X Essential Oil is fantastic in soap. In this Uplifting Orange Melt & Pour, it acts as a natural colorant and gives the bars a zesty scent everybody loves.

This project is suitable for beginners with a few tips. First, the flower embed needs to be made ahead of time. Once it’s completely cool and firm, it can be placed inside the orange soap. Melt and pour soap begins melting around 120°F. Be mindful of the temperature, otherwise it can melt the flower embed.

Next, be sure to have 99% isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle nearby. It helps the layers stick and gets rid of bubbles.

Uplifting Orange Soap

What You Need:
10″ Silicone Loaf Mold
Mini Daisy Silicone Column Mold
9 oz. Goat Milk Melt and Pour Soap Base
55 oz. Clear Melt and Pour Soap Base
1.4 oz. 10X Orange Essential Oil
99% Isopropyl Alcohol in a Spray Bottle

ONE: Chop 4.5 ounces of Goat Milk Melt and Pour Soap Base into small, uniform pieces. Place them in a small heat-safe container and melt in the microwave using 5-10 second bursts. Small amounts of soap boil quickly, so be careful.

TWO: Pour the soap into the Mini Daisy Column Mold. Place the mold into a tall container to keep it upright and allow the soap to fully cool and harden.

THREE: While the embed hardens, chop 45 ounces of Clear Melt and Pour Soap into small, uniform pieces. Place them into a large heat-safe container and melt in the microwave using 30-60 second bursts.

FOUR: Add 1.2 ounces of Orange 10X Essential Oil into the melted soap and stir to fully combine. Pour about 1/3 of the soap into the 10″ Silicone Loaf Mold and spritz with 99% isopropyl alcohol to get rid of bubbles. Allow to cool and harden.

FIVE: Once the embed is cool, remove it from the mold. Trim off any imperfections and cut the embed the same length as the inside of the 10″ Silicone Loaf Mold.

SIX: Make sure the orange soap inside the mold has cooled enough to support more soap on top. If so, place the embed in the mold slightly off-center.

SEVEN: Remelt the orange soap using 20 second bursts – make sure it’s between 120-130° F. Spritz the soap in the mold with 99% isopropyl alcohol and gently pour the remaining orange soap into the mold. Spritz with 99% isopropyl alcohol to get rid of bubbles. Allow to cool and harden for about 20 minutes.

EIGHT: While the soap in the mold cools and hardens, chop 4.5 ounces of Goat Milk Melt and Pour Soap Base into small, uniform pieces. Place them in a small heat-safe container and melt in the microwave using 5-10 second bursts. Small amounts of soap boil quickly, so be careful. Once melted, pour the soap into the Mini Daisy Column Mold. Place the mold into a tall container to keep it upright and allow the soap to fully cool and harden.

NINE: Once the second embed has cooled and hardened, remove it from the mold and cut into small pieces. Set aside.

TEN: Chop 10 ounces of Clear Melt and Pour Soap into small, uniform pieces. Place them into a heat-safe container and melt in the microwave using 15-20 second bursts. Add 0.2 ounces of Orange 10X Essential Oil and stir in thoroughly.

ELEVEN: Spritz the soap in the mold with 99% isopropyl alcohol. Place the small daisy embeds on top of the soap in the mold. When the orange soap is around 120-130° F, gently pour it into the mold and spritz with alcohol to get rid of bubbles. If you have extra orange soap, pour it into another mold.

TWELVE: Allow the soap to fully cool and harden. Remove the soap from the mold and use a non-serrated knife to cut into bars. If you live in a very humid area, wrap the bars in plastic wrap to prevent glycerin dew. Enjoy!

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Uplifting Orange Soap

Course Melt and Pour Soap

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 3 pounds of soap

Author Bramble Berry

Ingredients

• 10 ″ Silicone Loaf Mold
• Mini Daisy Silicone Column Mold
• 9 oz. Goat Milk Melt and Pour Soap Base
• 55 oz. Clear Melt and Pour Soap Base
• 1.4 oz. 10X Orange Essential Oil
• 99 % Isopropyl Alcohol in a Spray Bottle

Instructions

• Chop 4.5 ounces of Goat Milk Melt and Pour Soap Base into small, uniform pieces. Place them in a small heat-safe container and melt in the microwave using 5-10 second bursts. Small amounts of soap boil quickly, so be careful.
• Pour the soap into the Mini Daisy Column Mold. Place the mold into a tall container to keep it upright and allow the soap to fully cool and harden.
• While the embed hardens, chop 45 ounces of Clear Melt and Pour Soap into small, uniform pieces. Place them into a large heat-safe container and melt in the microwave using 30-60 second bursts.
• Add 1.2 ounces of Orange 10X Essential Oil into the melted soap and stir to fully combine. Pour about 1/3 of the soap into the 10″ Silicone Loaf Mold and spritz with 99% isopropyl alcohol to get rid of bubbles. Allow to cool and harden.
• Once the embed is cool, remove it from the mold. Trim off any imperfections and cut the embed the same length as the inside of the 10″ Silicone Loaf Mold.
• Make sure the orange soap inside the mold has cooled enough to support more soap on top. If so, place the embed in the mold slightly off-center.
• Remelt the orange soap using 20 second bursts – make sure it’s between 120-130° F. Spritz the soap in the mold with 99% isopropyl alcohol and gently pour the remaining orange soap into the mold. Spritz with 99% isopropyl alcohol to get rid of bubbles. Allow to cool and harden for about 20 minutes.
• While the soap in the mold cools and hardens, chop 4.5 ounces of Goat Milk Melt and Pour Soap Base into small, uniform pieces. Place them in a small heat-safe container and melt in the microwave using 5-10 second bursts. Small amounts of soap boil quickly, so be careful. Once melted, pour the soap into the Mini Daisy Column Mold. Place the mold into a tall container to keep it upright and allow the soap to fully cool and harden.
• Once the second embed has cooled and hardened, remove it from the mold and cut into small pieces. Set aside.
• Chop 10 ounces of Clear Melt and Pour Soap into small, uniform pieces. Place them into a heat-safe container and melt in the microwave using 15-20 second bursts. Add 0.2 ounces of Orange 10X Essential Oil and stir in thoroughly.
• Spritz the soap in the mold with 99% isopropyl alcohol. Place the small daisy embeds on top of the soap in the mold. When the orange soap is around 120-130° F, gently pour it into the mold and spritz with alcohol to get rid of bubbles. If you have extra orange soap, pour it into another mold.
• Allow the soap to fully cool and harden. Remove the soap from the mold and use a non-serrated knife to cut into bars. If you live in a very humid area, wrap the bars in plastic wrap to prevent glycerin dew. Enjoy!

The post Uplifting Orange Soap appeared first on Soap Queen.

We love making things from scratch. That love of DIY inspired this Orange Spice Hot Process Soap, complete with homemade dried orange slices. The slices were created in a dehydrator as a perfect accent for this holiday project.

It’s scented with a combination of Orange 10X Essential Oil and cinnamon leaf essential oil, which makes the bars smell like a delicious holiday treat. Orange peel powder adds texture and a touch of color.

Unfamiliar with hot process soapmaking? The main difference between hot process and cold process soap is that hot process is cooked, which speeds up the saponification process. This results in soap that can be cut within 24 hours and enjoyed the same day. It’s the perfect project if you need to make last-minute gifts. Learn more in this Lemongrass and Lavender Hot Process Soap video on Soap Queen TV.

To create the dried oranges, we used a process very similar to this tutorial. After about 12 hours in the dehydrator, the orange slices are a hard texture perfect for topping soap. They are purely for decoration and can be left out if you prefer. Oranges are natural items that can wilt or even mold if left in the shower long enough.

What You Need:
2 lb. Wood Loaf Mold
Silicone Liner for 2 lb. Wood Mold
22 oz. Lots of Lather Quick Mix
3.2 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
7.3 oz. Distilled Water
0.7 oz. Sodium Lactate
0.7 oz. Orange 10X Essential Oil
0.3 oz. Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil
1 Tbsp. Orange Peel Powder
Anise Stars
Dried Orange Slices

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

If you’ve never made hot process soap before, stop here. Check out our FREE four part SoapQueen.tv series on cold process soapmaking, especially the episode on lye safety. Bramble Berry also carries a wide range of books on the topic, including Pure Soapmaking.

FRAGRANCE PREP: Measure 0.7 ounces of Orange 10X Essential Oil and 0.3 oz. cinnamon leaf essential oil into a small glass container and set aside.

SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices. That means goggles, gloves, and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, other distractions, and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.

ONE: Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool. Once cooled to about 130 °F , add the sodium lactate to the lye water. Sodium lactate is used in hot process at 3% of the oil weight to help produce a smoother bar.

TWO: Fully melt the entire bag of Lots of Lather Quick Mix until it’s completely clear and there’s no cloudiness. Shake the bag to mix up all the oils. Measure 22 oz. into your Crock-Pot and turn it on.
NOTE: The heat setting you use may vary depending on your cooking vessel. We have cooked hot process soap on low and high heat with equally good results. For this recipe, we used the high heat setting for a faster cook time. If you’re making hot process soap in your cooking vessel for the first time, start with the low setting. Next time try the high setting and see which you prefer. 

THREE: Slowly add the lye water to the oils. Make sure the mixture does not fill up more than half of the pot or cooking vessel. Tap the stick blender on the bottom of the pot to release air bubbles and begin to blend.

FOUR: Mix with a stick blender until a thick trace is achieved.

FIVE: Put the lid on the Crock-Pot and allow the soap to start cooking.

After about 10 minutes, check the soap to see the progress made. Starting from the outside, the texture and color of the soap will start to change into a glossy, slightly Vaseline-like texture (shown below).
NOTE: Don’t be surprised if the soap starts to grow in volume. Do not leave your soap unattended in the first 10 minutes of cook time for this reason. If the soap gets too high in the pot, wearing gloves, take the pot off heat and stir like crazy.

SIX: Stir the batch to ensure even cooking. Place the lid back on the pot and allow it to cook for about another 7-10 minutes.

SEVEN: The batch will be ready when it’s the texture of glossy mashed potatoes. This may take up to three more 5-10 minute sessions. When you think it’s ready, use a pH strip to test the levels. Place a small amount of the soap into a cup of distilled water and stir. Dip the pH strip into the water – it should be below 10. Be sure not to overcook the soap, you don’t want it too dry for the next steps.

EIGHT: Add 1 tablespoon of orange peel powder directly to the soap batter and stir to get rid of any clumps.

NINE: Add the essential oil blend to the soap and gently stir until fully incorporated.

TEN: Working quickly, spoon the soap into the mold. Tap the mold on the counter firmly to help it settle. Once all the soap is in the mold, use a spoon or gloved hands to smooth the top.

ELEVEN: Insert dried orange slices into the top of the soap. Space them out according to how large you’d like the bar to be. We fit five into the loaf and spaced them to be cut behind the orange slices. Then, insert an anise star directly in front of the orange. Continue this process until the loaf is full.

TWELVE: Allow the soap to stay in the mold for at least 24 hours. Unmold and cut into bars. This soap is ready to use right away, but will last longer in the shower after at least a 2 week cure time.

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Orange Spice Hot Process Soap Tutorial

This easy hot process soap can be made just in time for the holidays.

Course Hot Process Soap

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 2 pounds of soap

Author Soap Queen

Ingredients

• 2 lb. Wood Loaf Mold
• Silicone Liner for 2 lb. Wood Mold
• 22 oz. Lots of Lather Quick Mix
• 3.2 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
• 7.3 oz. Distilled Water
• 0.7 oz. Sodium Lactate
• 0.7 oz. Orange 10X Essential Oil
• 0.3 oz. Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil
• 1 Tbsp. Orange Peel Powder
• Anise Stars
• Dried Orange Slices

Instructions

FRAGRANCE PREP: Measure 0.7 ounces of Orange 10X Essential Oil and 0.3 oz. cinnamon leaf essential oil into a small glass container and set aside.

SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices. That means goggles, gloves, and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, other distractions, and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.

• Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool. Once cooled to about 130 °F , add the sodium lactate to the lye water. Sodium lactate is used in hot process at 3% of the oil weight to help produce a smoother bar.
• Fully melt the entire bag of Lots of Lather Quick Mix until it’s completely clear and there’s no cloudiness. Shake the bag to mix up all the oils. Measure 22 oz. into your Crock-Pot and turn it on. NOTE: The heat setting you use may vary depending on your cooking vessel. We have cooked hot process soap on low and high heat with equally good results. For this recipe, we used the high heat setting for a faster cook time. If you’re making hot process soap in your cooking vessel for the first time, start with the low setting. Next time try the high setting and see which you prefer.
• Slowly add the lye water to the oils. Make sure the mixture does not fill up more than half of the pot or cooking vessel. Tap the stick blender on the bottom of the pot to release air bubbles and begin to blend.
• Mix with a stick blender until a thick trace is achieved.
• Put the lid on the Crock-Pot and allow the soap to start cooking. After about 10 minutes, check the soap to see the progress made. Starting from the outside, the texture and color of the soap will start to change into a glossy, slightly Vaseline-like texture (shown below). NOTE: Don’t be surprised if the soap starts to grow in volume. Do not leave your soap unattended in the first 10 minutes of cook time for this reason. If the soap gets too high in the pot, wearing gloves, take the pot off heat and stir like crazy.
• Stir the batch to ensure even cooking. Place the lid back on the pot and allow it to cook for about another 7-10 minutes.
• The batch will be ready when it’s the texture of glossy mashed potatoes. This may take up to three more 5-10 minute sessions. When you think it’s ready, use a pH strip to test the levels. Place a small amount of the soap into a cup of distilled water and stir. Dip the pH strip into the water – it should be below 10. Be sure not to overcook the soap, you don’t want it too dry for the next steps.
• Add 1 tablespoon of orange peel powder directly to the soap batter and stir to get rid of any clumps.
• Add the essential oil blend to the soap and gently stir until fully incorporated.
• Working quickly, spoon the soap into the mold. Tap the mold on the counter firmly to help it settle. Once all the soap is in the mold, use a spoon or gloved hands to smooth the top.
• Insert dried orange slices into the top of the soap. Space them out according to how large you’d like the bar to be. We fit five into the loaf and spaced them to be cut behind the orange slices. Then, insert an anise star directly in front of the orange. Continue this process until the loaf is full.
• Allow the soap to stay in the mold for at least 24 hours. Unmold and cut into bars. This soap is ready to use right away, but will last longer in the shower after at least a 2 week cure time.

The post Orange Spice Hot Process Soap Tutorial appeared first on Soap Queen.

If you’re looking for a simple way to incorporate turmeric into your beauty routine, look no further. This DIY Turmeric Melt & Pour Soap is great for beginners, and advanced crafters can appreciate the quality ingredients. Made with Goat Milk Melt and Pour Soap Base, each bar contains real liquid goat milk to produce a gentle and creamy lather.

Why use turmeric in your skin care? Turmeric powder belongs to the ginger family, and it’s thought to have skin benefits. In particular, turmeric contains curcumin, an antioxidant thought to have anti-inflammatory properties. It gives a lovely orange color to the soap as well.

What You’ll Need:
12 Cavity Rectangle Silicone Mold
60 oz. Goat Milk Melt and Pour Soap Base
2 tsp. Turmeric Powder
0.8 oz. Orange 10X Essential Oil
2 Tbsp. 99% Isopropyl Alcohol in Spray Bottle

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

ONE: Chop 60 ounces of Goat Milk Melt and Pour Soap Base into small, uniform cubes. Place the soap into a large, heat-safe container and melt in the microwave using 60-second bursts. Because it’s such a large amount of soap, it will take a little longer to melt.

TWO: While the soap is in the microwave, mix 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder with 2 tablespoons of 99% isopropyl alcohol. Doing so helps the turmeric more easily mix into the melted soap without chunks.

THREE:In a glass, essential oil-safe container, measure 0.8 ounces of Orange 10X Essential Oil.

FOUR: Once the soap is melted, add all the dispersed turmeric powder and the Orange 10X Essential Oil. Use a spatula to mix the ingredients thoroughly.

FIVE: Pour the soap into each cavity of the mold. After each pour, spray the top of the bars with 99% isopropyl alcohol to help get rid of bubbles. Allow the soap to fully cool and harden. Remove from the mold and enjoy! Wrap the soap in plastic wrap after unmolding to prevent glycerin dew.

Shop Melt and Pour Soap Molds.

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DIY Turmeric Melt & Pour Soap

This soap is made with turmeric powder and Orange 10X Essential Oil for a bright color and scent.

Course Melt and Pour Soap

Servings 12 bars

Author Soap Queen

Ingredients

• 12 Cavity Rectangle Silicone Mold
• 60 oz. Goat Milk Melt and Pour Soap Base
• 2 tsp. Turmeric Powder
• 0.8 oz. Orange 10X Essential Oil
• 2 Tbsp. 99% Isopropyl Alcohol in Spray Bottle

Instructions

• Chop 60 ounces of Goat Milk Melt and Pour Soap Base into small, uniform cubes. Place the soap into a large, heat-safe container and melt in the microwave using 60-second bursts. Because it's such a large amount of soap, it will take a little longer to melt.
• While the soap is in the microwave, mix 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder with 2 tablespoons of 99% isopropyl alcohol. Doing so helps the turmeric more easily mix into the melted soap without chunks.
• In a glass, essential oil-safe container, measure 0.8 ounces of Orange 10X Essential Oil.
• Once the soap is melted, add all the dispersed turmeric powder and the Orange 10X Essential Oil. Use a spatula to mix the ingredients thoroughly.
• Pour the soap into each cavity of the mold. After each pour, spray the top of the bars with 99% isopropyl alcohol to help get rid of bubbles. Allow the soap to fully cool and harden. Remove from the mold and enjoy! Wrap the soap in plastic wrap after unmolding to prevent glycerin dew.

The post DIY Turmeric Melt & Pour Soap appeared first on Soap Queen.

Making cold process soap for the first time can be intimidating. To make the process as easy as possible, we designed the Natural Soap Kit for Beginners with the first-time soaper in mind. The kit comes in three color and fragrance options (orange, lavender and lemongrass) and includes 100% pure essential oils, botanicals, lye, soaping oils, a reusable mold and safety gear. All you really need to provide is distilled water, soaping containers and a stick blender. Plus, it ships for free to anywhere in the lower 48 United States! It’s the perfect gift for that crafty person in your life.

This Energizing Orange soap may be my favorite of the three Natural Soap Kit for Beginners color and fragrance options. The soap is scented with 10X Orange Essential Oil, which gives the bars a bright orange color. Orange peel powder adds extra color and a touch of exfoliation. Marigold petals are added to the top for a finishing touch. The bars smell amazing, and look so bright and cheery. I have yet to meet somebody who didn’t enjoy orange soap. =)

Part of what makes this project so easy is that it requires a nice thick trace. The orange peel powder can be added directly to the soaping oils prior to adding the lye, or it can be added at trace and stick blended. To create the texture on top, continue to stick blend until you achieve a texture of thick pudding. You really don’t need to worry about stick blending this project too much!

Soap Recipe:
Most of the items below (everything but the water!) are supplied in the Natural Beginner Soap Kit. See all contents of the kit here.
10″ Silicone Loaf Mold
33 oz. Lots of Lather Quick Mix
10 oz. Distilled Water
4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
2 tsp. Sodium Lactate
1.7 oz. 10X Orange Essential Oil
3 tsp. Orange Peel Powder
Marigold Petals
99% Isopropyl Alcohol in Spray Bottle

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart and get *free shipping* on this kit!

If you’ve never made cold process soap before, stop here! I highly recommend checking out our FREE four part SoapQueen.tv series on Cold Process Soapmaking, especially the episode on lye safety. And if you’d rather do some reading, Bramble Berry carries a wide range of books on the topic, including my newest book, Pure Soapmaking. You can also checkout the digital downloads for that instant gratification factor.

SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices! That means goggles, gloves and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, and other distractions and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.

ESSENTIAL  OIL PREP: In a glass fragrance oil safe container, measure 1.7 ounces of 10X Orange Essential Oil. Set aside.

LYE PREP: In a durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 4.7 ounces of sodium hydroxide lye flakes. In a separate durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 10 ounces of room temperature distilled water. Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Do not add the water to th?”e lye. As you stir, the mixture will emit fumes; do not breathe them in. The lye mixture will heat to about 180-190 ° F. Label the container “DANGER: LYE” and place in a safe space to cool until about 120-130 ° F. This takes about an hour.

OIL PREP: While the lye solution cools, prep the oils. Fully melt the entire bag of Lots of Lather Quick Mix in the microwave or in a double boiler until there are no chunks or cloudiness. If melting the oils in a double boiler, do not let the bag touch the sides or bottom of the pot, or the plastic bag can melt. Once the oils are completely melted, give the bag a good shake. Measure 33 oz. of oils into a large, non-aluminum bowl capable of holding at least 50 ounces. Set aside.

The ingredients are now prepped! Check the temperature of your lye solution and oils. To soap, the oils and lye should be 110-130 ° F. If you took off your safety goggles and gloves, place them back on. Once your oils and lye are in that temperature range, carefully add 2 teaspoons of sodium lactate to the lye solution and use a spoon to gently stir in. Wash off spoon immediately. Now, let’s soap!

ONE: Slowly and carefully add the lye solution to the oils. Pulse the stick blender on and off to begin emulsifying the oils and lye together. Continue to pulse the stick blender for 15-20 seconds and then use it to stir the mixture.
NOTE: In the instructions for the Natural Beginner Soap Kit, the orange peel powder is added directly to the soaping oils prior to adding lye. Adding the orange peel powder to the oils “disperses” it, which avoids clumps. I forgot to do that in this batch (whoops!) and added the orange peel powder later at trace. Either way works just fine! 

Once you start blending, the mixture will begin to look creamy. After about 1 minute of blending and stirring, the oils and lye will be combined and the soap will be the texture of thin pudding. This is thin trace!

TWO: Add the 10X Orange Essential Oil into the soap. Use the stick blender to completely blend in the essential oil.

THREE: Add the orange peel powder and stick blend to fully incorporate until there are no clumps. 

FOUR: At this point, the soap batter will have thickened slightly. As you continue to stick blend, it will become thicker. Continue to stick blend the soap batter until it is the texture of thick pudding and is able to form peaks.

FIVE: Once the soap has thickened, pour the batter into the 10” Silicone Loaf Mold. Tap the mold firmly on the counter to release bubbles. Use a spoon to mound the soap in the center of the mold, forming a peak in the center. If the soap is not holding its shape, allow the soap to sit in the mold for 2-3 minutes, then continue mounding in the center. There is no right or wrong way to create texture on the top of soap, have fun with it!

SIX: Once you’re happy with the top of the soap, sprinkle marigold petals on the top of the soap. Spritz the top of the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol.

SEVEN: The soap needs to sit and harden in the mold for 2-3 days. It can be hard to wait, but it’s worth it! After two days, pull the sides of the mold away from the soap. If it releases easily, pull the other two sides away from the soap and gently press from the bottom to release the airlock. Gently and carefully, remove the soap and place on a cutting board. If the sides of the mold do not easily release, give the soap another day to harden in the mold.

Using a sharp, non-serrated knife, cut the soap into bars. To prevent the marigold petals from creating drag marks, lay the soap on its side and cut the bars. Once the loaf is cut into bars, they need to cure for 4-6 weeks. During this time water evaporates from the bar, which creates a firmer and longer lasting bar of soap. Enjoy!

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Natural Orange Cold Process Soap Tutorial

Learn how to make this simple orange soap, made with natural ingredients.

Course Cold process soap

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Author Soap Queen

Ingredients

• 10 ″ Silicone Loaf Mold
• 33 oz. Lots of Lather Quick Mix
• 10 oz. Distilled Water
• 4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
• 2 tsp. Sodium Lactate
• 1.7 oz. 10X Orange Essential Oil
• 3 tsp. Orange Peel Powder
• Marigold Petals
• 99 % Isopropyl Alcohol in Spray Bottle

Instructions

If you’ve never made Cold Process soap before, stop here! I highly recommend checking out our FREE four part SoapQueen.tv series on Cold Process Soapmaking, especially the episode on lye safety. And if you’d rather do some reading, Bramble Berry carries a wide range of books on the topic, including my newest book, Pure Soapmaking. You can also checkout the digital downloads for that instant gratification factor.

SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices! That means goggles, gloves and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, and other distractions and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.

• In a durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 4.7 ounces of sodium hydroxide lye flakes. In a separate durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 10 ounces of room temperature distilled water. Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Do not add the water to the lye. As you stir, the mixture will emit fumes; do not breathe them in. The lye mixture will heat to about 180-190 ° F. Label the container “DANGER: LYE” and place in a safe space to cool until about 120-130 ° F. This takes about an hour.
• While the lye solution cools, prep the oils. Fully melt the entire bag of Lots of Lather Quick Mix in the microwave or in a double boiler until there are no chunks or cloudiness. If melting the oils in a double boiler, do not let the bag touch the sides or bottom of the pot, or the plastic bag can melt. Once the oils are completely melted, give the bag a good shake. Measure 33 oz. of oils into a large, non-aluminum bowl capable of holding at least 50 ounces. Set aside.
• Measure 1.7 ounces of the 10X Orange Essential Oil into a glass, fragrance oil safe container. Set aside.
• The ingredients are now prepped! Check the temperature of your lye solution and oils. To soap, the oils and lye should be 110-130 ° F. If you took off your safety goggles and gloves, place them back on. Once your oils and lye are in that temperature range, carefully add 2 teaspoons of sodium lactate to the lye solution and use a spoon to gently stir in. Wash off spoon immediately. Now, let’s soap!
• Slowly and carefully add the lye solution to the oils. Pulse the stick blender on and off to begin emulsifying the oils and lye together. Continue to pulse the stick blender for 15-20 seconds and then use it to stir the mixture. Once you start blending, the mixture will begin to look creamy. After about 1 minute of blending and stirring, the oils and lye will be combined and the soap will be the texture of thin pudding. This is thin trace!
• Add the 10X Orange Essential Oil into the soap. Use the stick blender to completely blend in the essential oil.
• Add the orange peel powder and stick blend to fully incorporate until there are no clumps.
• At this point, the soap batter will have thickened slightly. As you continue to stick blend, it will become thicker. Continue to stick blend the soap batter until it is the texture of thick pudding and is able to form peaks.
• Once the soap has thickened, pour the batter into the 10” Silicone Loaf Mold. Tap the mold firmly on the counter to release bubbles. Use a spoon to mound the soap in the center of the mold, forming a peak in the center. If the soap is not holding its shape, allow the soap to sit in the mold for 2-3 minutes, then continue mounding in the center. There is no right or wrong way to create texture on the top of soap, have fun with it!
• Once you’re happy with the top of the soap, sprinkle marigold petals on the top of the soap. Spritz the top of the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol.
• The soap needs to sit and harden in the mold for 2-3 days. It can be hard to wait, but it’s worth it! After two days, pull the sides of the mold away from the soap. If it releases easily, pull the other two sides away from the soap and gently press from the bottom to release the airlock. Gently and carefully, remove the soap and place on a cutting board. If the sides of the mold do not easily release, give the soap another day to harden in the mold.
• Using a sharp, non-serrated knife, cut the soap into bars. To prevent the marigold petals from creating drag marks, lay the soap on its side and cut the bars. Once the loaf is cut into bars, they need to cure for 4-6 weeks. During this time water evaporates from the bar, which creates a firmer and longer lasting bar of soap. Enjoy!

The post Energizing Orange Cold Process Soap Tutorial appeared first on Soap Queen.

Orange is one of my go-to fragrances. It’s so bright, fresh and universally loved. For this simple salt scrub, I drew inspiration from my favorite citrus. The base is fine grained Dead Sea salt with poppy seeds for extra scrub, and orange peel powder for color. The orange peel powder does add a bit of scent, but this scrub really gets a strong citrus smell from  10X Orange Essential Oil. The term “10X” means it has been folded (or concentrated) ten times to create an intense, pure essential oil. It also adds a bit of natural color to the scrub as well.

Learn how to create this easy scrub in the video tutorial below! My friend Courtney joined me for this project, because crafts are just better with friends. =)

What You’ll Need:
Three Tall 8 oz. Bail Jars
16 oz. Fine Grained Dead Sea Salt
0.5 oz. Avocado Oil
0.5 oz. Potassium Cocoate
1 Tbs. Poppy Seeds
2 Tbs. Orange Peel Powder
0.3 oz. 10X Orange Essential Oil
5 mL Optiphen
Droppers

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

ONE: In a large bowl, mix together the fine grained Dead Sea salt, orange peel powder and poppy seeds.

TWO: In a small separate container, mix together the avocado oil, potassium cocoate, 10X orange essential oil and Optiphen.
NOTE ABOUT PRESERVATIVES: Although this scrub doesn’t contain water, it will likely get water splashed in it during use. The extra water may cause bacteria and mold to grow. We added a preservative to be extra careful, but it is optional. You can read more in the Talk It Out Tuesday: Preservatives post.

THREE: Add the “wet” ingredients into the dry, and use your hands or a spatula to fully combine everything.

FOUR: Spoon the scrub into jars and enjoy!

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Orange Poppy Seed Salt Scrub DIY

This orange poppy seed salt scrub is easy to make, and smell like fresh oranges!

Course Salt Scrub

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Author Soap Queen

Ingredients

• Three 8 oz. Bail Jars
• 16 oz. Fine Grained Dead Sea Salt
• .5 oz. Avocado Oil
• .5 oz. Potassium Cocoate
• 1 Tbs. Poppy Seeds
• 2 Tbs. Orange Peel Powder
• .3 oz. 10X Orange Essential Oil
• 5 mL Optiphen

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix together the fine grained Dead Sea salt, orange peel powder and poppy seeds.
• In a small separate container, mix together the avocado oil, potassium cocoate, 10X orange essential oil and optiphen.
• Add the “wet” ingredients into the dry, and use your hands or a spatula to fully combine everything.
• Spoon the scrub into jars and enjoy!

The post Orange Poppy Seed Salt Scrub DIY appeared first on Soap Queen.

Today is the second day of “orange week” in the #SoaptheRainbow series! Share your photos of projects featuring the color orange on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #SoaptheRainbow. I will be choosing my favorites all week and posting them on the Bramble Berry Instagram page. The featured photos will win a $10 Bramble Berry gift certificate. In addition, a variety of colorants and fragrance oils are 25% off with the code: RAINSOAP. See the sale items here.

Below are some orange inspired tutorials and posts. I can’t wait to see all your orange photos! Be on the lookout for an orange video tutorial from Sarah of Spicy Pinecone tomorrow.

Orange essential oil is a popular way to incorporate orange into bath and beauty products. There are several varieties, including 10X Orange Essential Oil, Orange Valencia Essential Oil, Red Brazilian Mandarin Essential Oil and Tangerine Essential Oil. Click here to learn more about the different types of orange essential oil, and find out which one is best for your project.

There are several different kinds of orange essential oil. Learn about them here!

In addition to a citrusy scent, the essential oils give products a beautiful orange color. In the Creamy Orange Cold Process Tutorial is made with 10X Orange Essential Oil. It acts as both the colorant and fragrance, making it a great project for beginners. The 10X Orange Essential Oil is my favorite type of essential oil for cold process soap. Unlike traditional citrus essential oils, it is super concentrated, so it sticks in cold process soap and smells strong.

10X Orange Essential Oil gives the Creamy Orange Cold Process a lovely warm hue. 

In the Juicy Orange & Sweet Rose Cold Process Tutorial, 10x Orange Essential Oil and paprika are added to a portion of the batter. The two ingredients create a vibrant orange color. The orange soap is used to create an in-the-pot swirl. Ribbon cut orange peels and rose petals are placed on top of the loaf for color and texture.

Paprika is a natural colorant that can be used to create an orange color in soap, like shown in the Juicy Orange & Sweet Rose Cold Process Tutorial.

Another great color option is the Tangerine Wow! Colorant. In the Fall Sherbet Cold Process Soap, it’s used alongside Apricot Blush (now discontinued) for a soft orange hue. If you’d like to create a similar color, I would recommend mixing the Tangerine Wow! Colorant with Peach Shimmer Mica. Used by itself, Tangerine Wow! makes a vibrant orange color, as shown in the Monarch Butterfly Swirl Cold Process Tutorial.

Top: Fall Sherbet Cold Process Soap
Bottom: Monarch Butterfly Swirl Cold Process Tutorial

In the Cleansing Orange Spice Salt Scrub Tutorial, a variety of orange ingredients create an exfoliating scrub. Orange peel and Racing Stripe Orange Mica give the scrub color, while a combination of 10X Orange Essential Oil and Cinnamon Sticks Fragrance Oil create a citrusy and spicy scent. It’s perfect for fall and holiday seasons.

Orange scents pair wonderfully with cinnamon, like in the Cleansing Orange Spice Salt Scrub.

Creamsicle Fragrance Oil is another scrumptious orange scent. It features notes of warm vanilla and fresh citrus. In the Orange Creamsicle Bath Truffle, Creamsicle Fragrance Oil and Coral Orange LaBomb Colorant create the look of the classic ice cream treat. It also contains cocoa butter, which gives the bath water plenty of skin-loving properties. Just be careful when exiting the tub, as the oil can make the tub slippery. =)

The Orange Creamsicle Bath Truffle uses Coral Orange LaBomb Colorant and Creamsicle Fragrance Oil to resemble the iconic ice cream treat.

I can’t wait to see all your orange projects! Tag your photos with #SoaptheRainbow on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook for a chance to win a $10 Bramble Berry gift certificate. 

The post #SoaptheRainbow Orange Week & Inspiration appeared first on Soap Queen.

I kept these bars no-fuss with no colorants or fancy design. Sometimes, simple is best. The walnut shells give a natural warm hue. When the orange 10X essential oil is added, it turns the batter a rich orange, but I found it faded as the soap hardened. The pumice does not affect the color greatly, but it does cause the soap batter to accelerate. Prior to adding the pumice at trace, I recommend dispersing it in oil to help get rid of clumps.

I used my melted and mixed soaping oils to disperse the pumice, rather than adding extra oil to the recipe. This is a personal preference. Normally, I use extra lightweight oil to disperse my colorants and consider the dispersion oils a little extra superfat. For this recipe I did not want to add 5 whole tablespoons of extra oil because I wanted these bars to be nice and cleansing (and remember, any extra oils = weigh down lather and make rinse-off not as easy and fast). This recipe is already formulated with a 5% superfat, and contains a 12% water discount to help these bars cure faster. Read more about water discounting soap here.

What You’ll Need:
12 Bar Round Silicone Mold
9.6 oz. Coconut Oil (30%)
9.6 oz. Olive Oil (30%)
9.6 oz. Palm Oil (30%)
1.6 oz. Castor Oil (5%)
1.6 oz. Cocoa Butter (5%)
9.4 oz. Distilled Water (12% water discount)
4.6 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
1.7 oz. Orange 10X Essential Oil
5 Tbs. Pumice
8 Tbs. Walnut Shells

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

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If you’ve never made Cold Process soap before, stop here! I highly recommend checking out our FREE four part SoapQueen.tv series on Cold Process Soapmaking, especially the episode on lye safety. And if you’d rather do some reading, Bramble Berry carries a wide range of books on the topic, including my newest book, Pure Soapmaking. You can also checkout the digital downloads for that instant gratification factor.

SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices! That means goggles, gloves and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, and other distractions and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.

FRAGRANCE PREP: Measure 1.7 ounces of orange 10X essential oil into a glass, fragrance oil safe container. Set aside.

ONE: Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool.

TWO: Melt and combine the coconut oil, cocoa butter, castor oil, palm oil, and olive oil (remember to fully melt then mix your entire container of palm oil before portioning). Once the lye water and the oils have cooled to 130 degrees or below (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other). Place 5 tablespoons of pumice in a small container, and add 5 tablespoons of the soaping oils into the container and mix together. Doing so helps get rid of clumps, without adding too much extra oil into the soap. Set aside.

THREE: Add the lye water to the oils and stick blend until thin trace. If you’d like a harder bar of soap that releases faster from the mold, you can add sodium lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of sodium lactate per pound of oils in the recipe. For this recipe, you’d add about 2 teaspoon sodium lactate.

FOUR: Once you’ve reached a thin trace, add the orange 10X essential oil and use the stick blender to mix in. Alternate using short bursts and stirring with the blender to avoid over stick blending.

FIVE: Add the pumice mixture into the soap, and use the stick blender to mix in. This will cause the mixture to thicken.

SIX: Add 8 tablespoons of walnut shells and use a whisk to fully mix in.

SEVEN: If your batter is thin enough to pour, fill each cavity evenly. My batter was quite thick thanks to the additives and water discount, so I used a spoon to fill each cavity. Tap the mold firmly on the counter to help eliminate the air bubbles (make sure those goggles are on; beware of splashing soap when tapping). Spritz the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol to help eliminate soda ash.

Allow the soap to stay in the mold for about 2-3 days. Unmold, and allow to cure for 4-6 weeks. I used the Soap Shaver to clean up the sides and top of the soaps, but this is optional.

Have you ever made super scrubby bars before? What kind of exfoliant did you use?  Any ingredients you LOVE for mechanic’s hands?

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Mechanic Cold Process Soap Tutorial

This soap is made with walnut shells and pumice for an extra scrubby feel.

Course Cold process

Servings 3 pounds of soap

Author Soap Queen

Ingredients

• 12 Bar Round Silicone Mold
• 9.6 oz. Coconut Oil
• 9.6 oz. Olive Oil
• 9.6 oz. Palm Oil
• 1.6 oz. Castor Oil
• 1.6 oz. Cocoa Butter
• 9.4 oz. Distilled Water
• 4.6 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
• 1.7 oz. Orange 10X Essential Oil
• 5 Tbs. Pumice
• 8 Tbs. Walnut Shells

Instructions

SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices! That means goggles, gloves and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, and other distractions and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.

FRAGRANCE PREP: Measure 1.7 ounces of orange 10X essential oil into a glass, fragrance oil safe container.

• Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool.
• Melt and combine the coconut oil, castor oil, cocoa butter, palm oil, and olive oil (remember to fully melt then mix your entire container of palm oil before portioning). Once the lye water and the oils have cooled to 130 degrees or below (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other). Place 5 tablespoons of pumice in a small container, and add 5 tablespoons of the soaping oils into the container and mix together. Doing so helps get rid of clumps, without adding too much extra oil into the soap. Set aside.
• Add the lye water to the oils and stick blend until thin trace. If you’d like a harder bar of soap that releases faster from the mold, you can add sodium lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of sodium lactate per pound of oils in the recipe. For this recipe, you’d add about 2 teaspoon sodium lactate.
• Once you’ve reached a thin trace, add the orange 10X essential oil and use the stick blender to mix in. Alternate using short bursts and stirring with the blender to avoid over stick blending.
• Add the pumice mixture into the soap, and use the stick blender to mix in. This will cause the mixture to thicken.
• Add 8 tablespoons of walnut shells and use a whisk to fully mix in.
• If your batter is thin enough to pour, fill each cavity evenly. I found mine was quite thick, so I used a spoon to fill each cavity. Tap the mold firmly on the counter to help eliminate the air bubbles. Spritz the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol to help eliminate soda ash.
• Allow the soap to stay in the mold for about 2-3 days. Unmold, and allow to cure for 4-6 weeks. I used the Soap Shaver to smooth out the textured top of the soaps, but this is optional.

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The post Mechanic Cold Process Soap Tutorial appeared first on Soap Queen.

I’m a huge, huge fan of black licorice. I know the flavor is a bit polarizing and my stance might be a little controversial…but I think it’s delicious! While anise and licorice are completely different, they smell very similar. Produced from the seeds of the anise star, Anise Essential Oil has a wonderful warm and slightly medicinal smell. These Star Anise Melt and Pour Bars are made with a fresh combination of Anise Essential Oil and Orange 10X Essential Oil. The orange notes brighten the anise and create a fantastic blend.

To create a rustic look that complements the smell, real anise stars and cinnamon sticks are embedded into the top of the soap. I just love the way the anise stars look. They give a great holiday feel without being “too Christmas-y.” The green color in these bars come from a natural blend of green zeolite clay and spirulina powder. The anise star can be poky, so keep that in mind when washing with these bars. You may prefer to wash with the bottom of the soap to avoid any scratchiness or peel off the clear melt and pour layer that the scratchy hard embeds in them. Or, you may prefer to use these bars solely as hand soap. They’re just too pretty not to use in some way =)

What You’ll Need:
12 Cavity Rectangle Silicone Mold
50 oz. Shea Melt and Pour Base
13 oz. Clear Melt and Pour Base
Green Zeolite Clay
Spirulina Powder
.3 oz. Anise Essential Oil
.2 oz. Orange 10x Essential Oil
Anise Stars
Cinnamon Sticks
99% Isopropyl Alcohol

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

FRAGRANCE PREP: Mix together the Anise Essential Oil and Orange 10X Essential Oil in a fragrance safe, glass container. Set aside.

COLORANT PREP: In a small container, mix together 1 tsp. spirulina powder in 1 Tbs. 99% isopropyl alcohol. Use a spoon to mix and remove any clumps. In a separate container, mix together 2 tsp. green zeolite clay and 2 Tbs. 99% isopropyl alcohol and stir to remove any clumps.

ONE: Chop and melt 50 oz. of Shea Melt and Pour in the microwave using 30 second bursts. Once completely melted, add the essential oil blend and use a spoon or spatula to stir in thoroughly.

TWO: Add all of the dispersed green zeolite clay and 1 Tbs. of the dispersed spirulina powder. Thoroughly mix in the colorants until there are no clumps. 

THREE: Check the temperature of the soap. You want the soap to be around 120-130 ° F. If the soap is too hot when it’s poured into the mold, the majority of the clay will sink to the bottom. Pour the melted soap evenly into each mold cavity and spritz the top of the soap with rubbing alcohol to disperse any bubbles. Set the soap aside to allow to cool and harden. I love these silicone molds because they are so easy to release the soap from.


FOUR: Once the poured green soap has cooled enough to develop a thick skin, arrange the anise stars and cinnamon sticks on the top of each soap to your preference. Then, chop and melt 13 oz. of Clear Melt and Pour in the microwave using 20 second bursts.
FIVE: Once the clear soap is completely melted and is no hotter than 130 ° F, spritz the top of each soap with rubbing alcohol, and carefully pour a thin layer of clear soap on the top of each mold. You want the clear soap to just cover the anise stars and cinnamon sticks. Immediately spritz with alcohol to disperse any bubbles. Repeat with all cavities and allow the soap to fully cool and harden.

SIX: Once hardened, remove from the mold by pulling on the side of each cavity to break the airlock. Then, flip the mold over and press gently on the back of each cavity with your thumb or the palm of your hand until the soap releases. To prevent glycerin dew, wrap each soap in plastic wrap or another airtight container. Wash carefully with each bar, as the anise stars can be a little poky. =) Because of this, you may prefer to use these as hand soap, or wash with the bottom side.

What’s your favorite way to incorporate botanicals into your soapy projects? 

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Star Anise Melt & Pour Bars

These Star Anise Melt and Pour Bars are made with natural colorants and a blend of orange and anise essential oils for a fresh scent.

Servings 12 Bars of Soap

Author Soap Queen

Ingredients

• 12 Cavity Rectangle Silicone Mold
• 50 oz. Shea Melt and Pour Base
• 13 oz. Clear Melt and Pour Base
• Green Zeolite Clay
• Spirulina Powder
• .3 oz. Anise Essential Oil
• .2 oz. Orange 10x Essential Oil
• Anise Stars
• Cinnamon Sticks
• 99 % Isopropyl Alcohol

Instructions

FRAGRANCE PREP: Mix together the Anise Essential Oil and Orange 10X Essential Oil in a fragrance safe, glass container. Set aside.

COLORANT PREP: In a small container, mix together 1 tsp. spirulina powder in 1 Tbs. 99% isopropyl alcohol. Use a spoon to mix and remove any clumps. In a separate container, mix together 2 tsp. green zeolite clay and 2 Tbs. 99% isopropyl alcohol and stir to remove any clumps.

• Chop and melt 50 oz. of Shea Melt and Pour in the microwave using 30 second bursts. Once completely melted, add the fragrance blend and use a spoon or spatula to stir in thoroughly.
• Add all of the dispersed green zoelite and 1 Tbs. of the dispersed spirulina powder. Thoroughly mix in the colorants until there are no clumps.
• Check the temperature of the soap. You want the soap to be around 120-130 ° F. If the soap is too hot when it’s poured into the mold, the majority of the clay will sink to the bottom. Pour the melted soap evenly into each mold cavity and spritz the top of the soap with rubbing alcohol to disperse any bubbles. Set the soap aside to allow to cool and harden.
• Once the poured green soap has cooled enough to develop a thick skin, chop and melt 13 oz. of Clear Melt and Pour in the microwave using 20 second bursts. Then, arrange the anise stars and cinnamon sticks on the top of each soap to your preference.
• Once the clear soap is completely melted and is no hotter than 130 ° F, spritz the top of each soap with rubbing alcohol, and carefully pour a thin layer of clear soap on the top of each mold. You want the clear soap to just cover the anise stars and cinnamon sticks. Immediately spritz with alcohol to disperse any bubbles. Repeat with all cavities and allow the soap to fully cool and harden.
• Once hardened, remove from the mold by pulling on the side of each cavity to break the airlock. Then, flip the mold over and press gently on the back of each cavity with your thumb or the palm of your hand until the soap releases. To prevent glycerin dew, wrap each soap in plastic wrap or another airtight container. Wash carefully with each bar, as the anise stars can be a little poky. =) Because of this, you may prefer to use these as hand soap, or wash with the bottom side.

The post Star Anise Melt & Pour Bar Tutorial appeared first on Soap Queen.

The soap bands shown above are included in the Back to Basics Kit!

One of the most best parts of soap making is trying out different oils and butters. It’s interesting to see how various oils and butters affect trace and the final product. There are so many soaping oils, it can take a few batches to find “the perfect bar” for you. Everybody likes different soap properties (cleansing, moisturizing, exfoliating, etc), so it’s fun to experiment! This recipe is comprised of coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil and cocoa butter. To learn more about properties of common soap making oils, check out this blog post.

The coconut oil, palm oil and cocoa butter contribute to the firmness of the bar. A large percentage of olive oil is used to give the bar softness. In addition to firmness, coconut oil also gives the bar a lush lather and cleansing properties. Cocoa butter is used at 10% for firmness and for its skin loving properties. Cocoa butter is a stable fat and also contains natural antioxidants, making it a popular choice for cold process recipes. Read more about it in this Sunday Night Spotlight.

Use cocoa butter at 15% or less in cold process soaps; any higher than than can cause cracking in your final bar. Because of its naturally chocolatey scent, cocoa butter can hide some delicate fragrances, like florals. This is important when working with more faint or delicate fragrances. The cocoa butter will cause this recipe to reach trace and become thicker faster than some recipes. Keep this in mind when stick blending! Because of their ability to thicken trace, butters are an excellent addition for designs with layers and textured tops. Finally, cocoa butter has a higher melt point than other oils in this recipe so keeping to the warmer end of the temperature range is helpful to keeping it fully workable the entire process.

This recipe contains a 5% superfat. This means that 5% of the oils in this recipe were not turned into soap, and are “free floating” in the soap. In other words, this recipe contains 5% less lye than necessary to turn 100% of the oils into soap. Learn more about superfatting soap in this blog post.

Creamy Orange Cold Process Soap Recipe (Superfat 5%)
13.6 oz. Olive Oil (40%)
8.5 oz. Palm Oil (25%)
8.5 oz. Coconut Oil (25%)
3.4 oz. Cocoa Butter (10%)
4.8 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
11.2 oz. Distilled Water
2 oz. 10X Orange Essential Oil

This tutorial is the second in the Back to Basics Cold Process Series. This series of tutorials includes four cold process recipes that are perfect for beginning soapers. The Back to Basics Soapmaking Kit includes all the soaping ingredients you need to create all four recipes, including the 10″ Silicone Mold. The only ingredient you need to buy separately is lye, and any tools you may need. A great way to receive the basic soaping tools is with the Beginner’s Soaping Tool Kit, or click the “Buy it Now” button for the tools necessary for this project, lye and kit to your cart to your cart separately.

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

If you’ve never made Cold Process soap before, stop here! I highly recommend checking out our FREE four part SoapQueen.tv series on Cold Process Soapmaking, especially the episode on lye safety. And if you’d rather do some reading, Bramble Berry carries a wide range of books on the topic, including my newest book, Soap Crafting. You can also checkout the digital downloads for that instant gratification factor. I also recommend reviewing the first blog post in this series, which is all about how to handle lye safely.

Prepare your Mold: For this recipe, we are going to use a box rather than a mold. To turn any box into a soap making mold, it first needs to be lined with freezer paper. Freezer paper is heavy duty and durable, and has one side that is shiny. This side needs to be facing up. Learn how to line molds including recycled boxes in this blog post. In particular, we are using a USPS Medium Flat Rate Box. The inside dimensions are 11″ x 8-1/2″ x 5-1/2″.

Set Up Your Area: Before soaping, it’s helpful to have your soaping area prepared before you start. While soaping, you don’t want to be running around looking for a spatula or whisk! Because this recipe does not have any complicated designs, the tools are minimal. But you will need your fully lined mold, prepared lye water, pre-mixed oils, stick blender, and a spatula. Check out the Soapy Session Preparation and Setup Guide for tips.

SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices! That means goggles, gloves and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, and other distractions and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.

ONE: Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool.

TWO: Combine the correct weights of coconut oil, olive oil, cocoa butter and palm oil (remember to fully melt then mix your entire container of palm oil before portioning). Allow the lye water and the oils to cool to 130°F or below (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other). For this recipe, both the oils and lye were around 120°F.

If you’d like a harder bar of soap that releases faster from the mold, you can add sodium lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of sodium lactate per pound of oils in the recipe. For this recipe, you’d add about 2 tsp. sodium lactate.

THREE: Place your stick blender into the oils. Gently tap the blender on the bottom of the bowl several times to release any bubbles that got trapped by the stick blender head. This is called, “burping the stick blender.”

FOUR: Once bubbles no longer rise to the surface of the oils, gently pour the cooled lye water down the shaft of the stick blender and into the oils.

FIVE: Turn on the stick blender and pulse several times. You will immediately see the lye and oils begin to come together, and begin to create a creamy yellow color. As you continue to mix, the color will become lighter. Alternate between using the stick blender to stir the mixture, and pulsing the stick blender. 

SIX: After about 30 seconds, test for trace. Because this recipe contains 10% cocoa butter, it will begin to thicken more quickly than recipes that do not contain butters, or have a high amount of liquid oil. To test for trace, lift the stick blender up and out of the batter, and “drizzle” soap on top. If the drizzles of soap are slightly supported on top of the batter, this is a thin trace. Be sure to also check the sides of the bowl; you want to make sure you see no streaks of oil within the mixture. 
SEVEN: Once you have reached a thin trace, add all the 10X Orange Essential Oil and gently mix in with a whisk. You will notice the color of the soap batter to change into a beautiful orange color immediately. Note that 10X Orange Essential oil has been specially re-distilled so that the scent lasts in soap. Normal Orange Essential Oil will not retain its scent with cold process soap recipes.

EIGHT: Once the essential oil is mixed in, pulse the mixture a few more times with the stick blender until you reach a medium trace. Below, you can see that the soap is fairly thick, and supports itself on top of the mixture. This is a great example of medium trace. For even more examples of trace, check out this blog post.

NINE: Pour the soap into the lined mold, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula to get all the soap into the mold. Tap the mold on the counter firmly to help eliminate air bubbles. Make sure you still have your goggles on! Sometimes soap can jump up during this process. =)

TEN: Spray the top of the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol. Doing so helps to prevent soda ash from forming. Allow the soap to sit in the mold for 3-4 days. Unmold, and cut into bars. Allow the soap to cure for 4-6 weeks. During this time, the soap becomes more mild and water evaporates from the soap making it firmer and longer lasting in the shower. The soap can be used before the full cure time, but will not last as long. It’s best to wait!

Do you like working with butters in your cold process recipes? Do you have any tips for working with them to share with readers and new soapmakers?

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Back to Basics: Creamy Orange Cold Process Tutorial

This Creamy Orange Cold Process soap is made with cocoa butter and orange essential oil.

Servings 2 -3 pounds of soapp

Author Soap Queen

Ingredients

• 13.6 oz. Olive Oil 40%
• 8.5 oz. Palm Oil 25%
• 8.5 oz. Coconut Oil 25%
• 3.4 oz. Cocoa Butter 10%
• 4.8 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
• 11.2 oz. Distilled Water
• 2 oz. 10X Orange Essential Oil

Instructions

Prepare your Mold: For this recipe, we are going to use a box rather than a mold. To turn any box into a soap making mold, it first needs to be lined with freezer paper. Freezer paper is heavy duty and durable, and has one side that is shiny. This side needs to be facing up. Learn how to line molds including recycled boxes in this blog post. In particular, we are using a USPS Medium Flat Rate Box. The inside dimensions are 11″ x 8-1/2″ x 5-1/2″.

Set Up Your Area: Before soaping, it’s helpful to have your soaping area prepared before you start. While soaping, you don’t want to be running around looking for a spatula or whisk! Because this recipe does not have any complicated designs, the tools are minimal. But you will need your fully lined mold, prepared lye water, pre-mixed oils, stick blender, and a spatula. Check out the Soapy Session Preparation and Setup Guide for tips.

SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices! That means goggles, gloves and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, and other distractions and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.

• Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool.
• Combine the coconut oil, olive oil, cocoa butter and palm oil (remember to fully melt then mix your entire container of palm oil before portioning). Allow the lye water and the oils to cool to 130°F or below (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other). For this recipe, both the oils and lye were around 120°F. If you’d like a harder bar of soap that releases faster from the mold, you can add sodium lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of sodium lactate per pound of oils in the recipe. For this recipe, you’d add about 2 tsp. sodium lactate.
• Place your stick blender into the oils. Gently tap the blender on the bottom of the bowl several times to release any bubbles that got trapped by the stick blender head. This is called, “burping the stick blender.”
• Once bubbles no longer rise to the surface of the oils, gently pour the cooled lye water down the shaft of the stick blender and into the oils.
• Turn on the stick blender and pulse several times. You will immediately see the lye and oils begin to come together, and begin to create a creamy yellow color. As you continue to mix, the color will become lighter. Alternate between using the stick blender to stir the mixture, and pulsing the stick blender.
• After about 30 seconds, test for trace. Because this recipe contains 10% cocoa butter, it will begin to thicken quicker than recipes that do not contain butters, or have a high amount of liquid oil. To test for trace, lift the stick blender up and out of the batter, and “drizzle” soap on top. If the drizzles of soap are slightly supported on top of the batter, this is a thin trace. Be sure to also check the sides of the bowl; you want to make sure you see no streaks of oil within the mixture.
• Once you have reached a thin trace, add all the 10X Orange Essential Oil and gently mix in with a whisk. You will notice the color of the soap batter to change into a beautiful orange color immediately.
• Once the essential oil is mixed in, pulse the mixture a few more times with the stick blender until you reach a medium trace. Below, you can see that the soap is fairly thick, and supports itself on top of the mixture. This is a great example of medium trace. For even more examples of trace, check out this blog post.
• Pour the soap into the lined mold, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula to get all the soap into the mold. Tap the mold on the counter firmly to help eliminate air bubbles. Make sure you still have your goggles on! Sometimes soap can jump up during this process. =)
• Spray the top of the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol. Doing so helps to prevent soda ash from forming. Allow the soap to sit in the mold for 3-4 days. Unmold, and cut into bars. Allow the soap to cure for 4-6 weeks. During this time, water evaporates from the soap making it firmer and longer lasting in the shower. The soap can be used before the full cure time, but will not last as long. It’s best to wait!

The post Back to Basics: Creamy Orange Cold Process Tutorial appeared first on Soap Queen.

With a small amount of Orange Valencia and Lemon essential oils, this polish smells bright, clean and spring-like. I used this polish on my cutting boards, and they look brand new. To use, apply wax onto a paper towel or rag, and apply to the wood. Massage the polish in and remove any excess. Check out the 9 Bar Birchwood Mold below, one half has been polished and the other has not. What a difference a little polish makes!

What You’ll Need:
.7 oz. Yellow Beeswax
1 oz. Castor Oil
2.2 oz. Olive Oil
2 mL Orange Valencia Essential Oil
1 mL Lemon Essential Oil
4 oz. Candle Tin

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TWO: Add Orange Valencia Essential Oil and stir to combine. 
THREE: Add Lemon Essential Oil, and stir to thoroughly combine. 
FOUR: Pour the mixture into the candle tins, and allow to cool for several hours. 
Once the wax is fully cool, it’s ready to use! To use, apply the wax to a paper towel or rag and apply to the wood. Massage the wax into the wood and wipe off any excess. 

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Simple Citrus Furniture Polish

Made with beeswax, olive oil and castor oil, this firm furniture wax leaves wood surfaces looking refreshed and shiny!

Course Home Crafts

Ingredients

• .7 oz. Yellow Beeswax
• 1 oz. Castor Oil
• 2.2 oz. Olive Oil
• 2 mL Orange Valencia Essential Oil
• 1 mL Lemon Essential Oil
• 4 oz. Candle Tin

Instructions

• Pour the olive oil, castor oil and yellow beeswax into a small heat safe container. Heat in the microwave using 1 minute bursts until fully melted. Be careful when removing from the microwave, as it will be very hot!
• Add Orange Valencia Essential Oil and stir to combine.
• Add Lemon Essential Oil, and stir to thoroughly combine.
• Pour the mixture into the candle tins, and allow to full for several hours.
• Once the wax is fully cool, it’s ready to use! To use, apply the wax to a paper towel or rag and apply to the wood. Massage the wax into the wood and wipe off any excess.

The post Simple Citrus Furniture Polish appeared first on Soap Queen.